Electrical weft detector



Dec. 1, 1931. E. R. HOLMES ELECTRICAL WEFT DETECTOR Filed Aug. 2. 1929Patented Dec. 1, 1931 currar) STATES PATENT oFFicE l ELRIDG-E R. HOLMES,OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROMPTON 85 'KNOWLES LOOMWORKS, OF WORCESTER,v MASSACHUSETTS, kA CORPORATION OF1VILASSACII'USEITTSV ELECTRICAL WEET DETECTOR- :Application filed August2, 1929. Serial No. 383,033.

rIhis invention relates to improvements in electrical weft detectors for4looms and it is the general objectof the invention to provide adetector of this type wherein mechanical adjustments ofthe mechanism maybe made without disturbing-the electrical connections. 3 1

A form of electrical weft' detector which has. heretofore vbeen proposedincludes a pair of insulatedcontact elements to enter a shuttle andbeelectrically'connected upon a de pletionof weft. In orderlto accommodatethe diering diameters of the weft these elec-r trodes'have beenindependently and resiliently mounted and itis an important object of mypresent invent-ion to employ the springs which act to hold the detectingelements in normal position to convey, current to or from the elements.

kIn the operation of the ordinary loom it is desirable that;thefdetector Vbe 'movable within a limited range of adjustments withrespect `to the weft supply `and itis ar further object' of my presentinvention'to provide for this adjustment while. employing anAeleotrofmagnet-ic'member which ismovable with the detector so that theconnections therefor arey not disturbed during the adj ustment. In`

this "connection it is aV furtherjobject of my present invention tol`provide for a limited adj ustment ofV the electro-magnetic member withrespect to the carrier for the electrodes on which it is mounted. j'

With -these and other objects in view which willappear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the combinationsandarrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claim.,Y i .4 l

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment/of myinvention is set forth, i A

F 1 is a top plan view of, an electric weft detector made according tomy present invention, certain parts being shown in' section,

Fig. 2 is aside elevation of my detector, the shuttle being shown insection, i

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are detailed vertical Ysec!- through theelectromagnetic element, in this instance a solenoid,'and s" Fig. 8 is adiagrammatic plan view of one of the electrodes. j

The invention has beenillustrated in connectionwith a form` of mechanismparticularly adaptable to a multicolor kweft replenishing loom, althoughI do not wish to be limited to this type vof loom.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown a bracket 10 which has securedthereto the foot of a stand or platform 12. The latter is provided witha slot 13 which extends substantially parallel to the shuttleS.

Formed eitheras part of the bracket` 10 or supported independentlythereof is anf'arm 14 having a vertical slot 15 through which extends anactuator lever 16. This lever has a downwardmovement on detecting beatsof the loom and when uninterrupted eifects no change in the operation oftheloom. When weft is depleted, however, acontroller 17 will move undersaid lever, to interrupt its downward movement, thereby calling intoaction mechanism to effect a change inthe operation of the loom, such,for instance, as automatic weft replenishment or loom stoppage for handvreplenishment. The controller 17 is pivoted'to a stud 18 mounted on thearm 14 and is provided with a laterally extending forked arm 19 by meansof which the controller may be'moved.

The matter thus far described forms no part of my present invention, theactuator lever 16 being substantially the same in operationan'd'structure as that shown in prior patent to Ryon No. 1,030,748 andthe con! are separated by frontand back bearing vmembers 33 and 34,respectively.A Screws 35 may be used to secure' the plates .and bearingmembers together as a unit. The plates are also separated by abraceblock 36 which has a slot 37 to align with slots 38 and 39 formedin the plates 31 and 32, respectively. A bolt 40 extends through thealigning slots of the carrier and also through the slot 13 and serves tohold said carrier in fixed position on the platform or stand 12.

A pair of oppositely charged detector rods or members 41 and 42,respectively, are slidably mounted through the front and rear bearingblocks 33 and 34 but are out of electrical contact with each other dueto the fact that said bearing blocks are formed of insulating material.Each of the detector rods or members is surrounded by a compressionspring 43 having relatively large forward coils 44 and comparativelysmall rear coils 45. Coils 45 are normally of such size as to grip therods tightly enough to resist relative movement with respect to them.The forward end of the coil spring around the member 42 extends to abinding post 46 which is mounted on the upper plate 31, being shownherein as extending througl'ra hole 47 in the forward bearing plate 33.'Ihe coil spring surrounding the other contact member 41 is connected toa binding post 48. It is to be understood that the springs are ofsumcient resilience to hold the detector members rearwardly in normalposition while at ter extend through slots 54 which extend in avdirection susbtantially perpendicular to the axes of the detector rods41 and 42. A small collar 55 may be soldered or in any other way securedto the tube 51 so as to support the solenoid 50 with respect to theplate 52.

The core 56 of the solenoid is freely movable in the tube 51 and extendsdownwardly, having threaded thereon upper and lower nuts 57 and 58,respectively, between which lies the forked end 19 of the Controller 17.An abutment 59 on the controller element engages a similar abutment 60on the arm 14 to position the arm 19 and therefore the solenoid.

A wire 61 connects the binding post 4S with one side of the solenoid,while another wire 62 connects the other side of the solenoid to a thirdbinding post 63. A source of electrical current, suc-h as abattery l?,has oneY sid-e thereof connected by means of wires 64 to the binding`post 46 and has-the other side connected by means of another wire 65 tothe binding post 63.

Under normal conditions the controller is in the position shown in Fig.6, lying to one side of the actuator lever 16 so as not tovinterrupt thedownward movement thereof.

rule or other conducting surface designated.

at in dotted lines in Fig. 1 will electrically connect the rods 41 and42, whereupon current will flow through the following circuit: batteryP, wire 64, binding post 46, spring 43 on rod 42, rod 42, ferrule 70,rod 41, the springen the latter to binding post 48, wire 61 through thesolenoid 50, wire 62 to bindingv post 63 and wire 65 back to thebattery. Current flowing in this circuit will energize the solenoid andcause the latter to lift its core 56, thereupon requiring the lower nut58 to roclr the control member 17 until the same assumes the dotted lineposition shown in Fig. 6 to interrupt downward movement of the actuatorlever.

In order to withdraw the feeler at the time of transfer to make room forthe incoming bobbin I secure a finger 71 to the rods and project thesame upwardly to extend into the path of a stud 72 movable with thetransfer mechanism not shown. The finger is preferably formed ofinsulating material so as to prevent electrical contact between rods atthe time of withdrawal, otherwise the indication would be repeated.

If it be desired to move the feeler with respect to the bracket 10 andthe adjustment is suflicient to interfere with the correct operation ofthe solenoid with respect to the controller, the bolts 53 may beloosened and the plate 52 given an adjustment relatively to the carrierin the proper direction.

From theforegoing it will be seen that I have provided an electricalweft detecting unit carrying the detectors and the solenoid or otherform of electro-magnetic member in normally fixed relation, that is, thedetectors and the solenoid are supported by the carrier and movable as awhole with the latter. Furthermore, it will be seen that the bindingposts 46 and 63 may be connected to the battery and all otherconnections between the detector and solenoid move with the carrier.Also, the solenoid is susceptible of a slight adjustment relatively tothe carrier. Furthermore, the springs which hold the detector rods inrearward position are the means by which current passes from said rodsto the circuit which includes them. Again, it will be seen that themeans for withdrawing the detectors at the time of transfer prevents theelectrical contact of the rods 41 and 42 and thereby effectively avoidsa repetition of the indication.

Having thusV described my invention it will be seen that changes andmodifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art Withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not Wishto be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim' is: Y

In an electrical weft detector for looms, a detector rod of electriccurrent carrying material, a carrier for the rod, a coiled compressionspring surrounding the rod and having certain coils thereof in tightengagement with the rod and having other larger coils through which therod is free to move, the larger coils bearing against the carrier tohold the detector yieldingly in normal position, and an electric circuitelectrically connected to the coiled spring.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

ELBRIDGE R. HOLMES.

